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February 16, 1897

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WEST Vancouver firefighters Danny Pistilli (left to right),

Who do you call for aid?
Fire, ambulance services
both want to roll: ..|

x,

NEWS photo Grad
Russ Samson and Capt. Tom Payne claim they are not dispatched to emergency calls requiring their presence. The

West Van Professional Firefighters’ association set off a firestorm of controversy with an ad urging residents to request the fire department's presence at all medical cails.

Emergi

paper war
being fought
etween

provincial firefight-
ers and paramedics
over the provision of
pre-hospital care in
many B.C, communities spread to the
North Shore last week.

A smuall-calibre shot was fired by the West
Vancouver Professional Firefighters Association 1n
the form ofa half-page advertisement in the North
Shore News.

The ad states that both the fire department and
the ambulance should be dispatched to all medical emergen-
cies. Ir ends with the statement, “Hf firefighters do nos arrive
quickly ... You may want to ask why

‘fom Payne, a West Vancouver firefighter, said the aim of
the ad was nothing more than the department's desire to bet-
ter inform the residents of West Vancour

OIL CHANGES

Every 3 months or 5,000 km
1790 Marine Dr. North Van
287-8006

-+- Ambulance Siatlons
a& Fire Halls

ng emergency

Purcell both deferred comment on the firefighters’
action to provincial spokesman Bob Pearce.

But Pearce diplomatically refused to be drawn
into the fray saving only that the ambulance service
is pleased with the status quo.

“They provide emergency aid to patients when
the ambulance may be delayed by a few minutes,”
said Pearce. “They do a great job, we support their
work and they support ours.

“AS an organization we really do have a good

relationship with the North Shore’ fire
departments,” said Pearce.

Canadian Union ot Public Employees (CUPE)
local 873 president Jim Patterson, who represents
paramedics, agrees.

“The North Vancouver tire departments have an
excellent relationship with the ambulances,” said Patterson.
“I's nota dispute with the North Shore firefighters.”

However there is a problem in many other municipalities
where relations between the two services are strained at best.

Worth Vancouver

NEWS graphic Cathleen Powell

“We just want people to be aware that when people in
West Vancouver call 9-1-1 they should ask for both the
ambulance and fire department,” said Payne. “Anywhere in
West Vancouver we could be in five minutes.

wth Vancouver Unit of the BC. Ambulance Service

Chief Tim Jones and his West Vancouver counterpart, Nancy See Dispatch page 3

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